Wisconsin is reputed to have one of the best programs in the country and I know at least two professors of botany that got their degrees there. I also knew a botanist that got her degree at Purdue and she was very knowledgable.

another consideration:Who(and at what institutions) are the most prolific and dynamic mentors in this field pertaining to the aspect of botany you are most interested in?

I am a botany grad from UW Madison (tho they cringe everytime i say it :) they have an excellent proggie.

but i would also agree with Pickwick in that one needs to find what one wants to do before one can pick where to go. but one also cannot know what one doesnt know. and a field as wide as botany, there is many diff ways to go. dive in, the waters fine.

froggy